Category: Toyota

Toyota created the compact SUV segment in Europe when it launched the RAV4 on the market in the nineties. Since then, various competitors have joined the battle and the segment is rather overcrowded. Even the French carmakers have recently joined in. It is time for Toyota to apply the same recipe to another segment, the sub-compact SUV market, which does not really exist. The Japanese carmaker will unveil a small SUV at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

The small SUV will be based on the recently launched Toyota Ist. The Ist’s design might not please European consumers so, aware of this, Toyota will shape the small SUV by taking inspiration from the 2006 Urban Cruiser concept car.

No information is available regarding the engines. In Japan, the Ist is available with 1.5 liter petrol engine that produces a power of 108bhp at 6000rpm and a torque of 101 lbs/ft at 4400rpm.

The iQ’s chief designer, Hiroki Nakajima, has revealed that the city car will feature a rear airbag for passengers sitting in the back in order to make it safer. The iQ pioneers a unique 3+1 seating layout. While the Smart can provide room for only two people, the iQ will be roomy enough for three adults and one child. Unfortunately, the rear seat passengers sit just 12 inches from the rear window because of the 117 inches length.

For Toyota, the challenge is to achieve a five-star NCAP safety rating and top the Smart ForTwo’s four stars. The rear airbags would help to win the fifth star.

Due to be sold in 2009, it is thought that the iQ could be powered either by the 1 litre petrol engine already used in the Aygo or by a 1.4 litre petrol engine which would return more than 50mpg. No diesel engine has been planned even though the Aygo is sold with a 1.4 litre engine.

Source: News.com.au

Toyota USA CEO Jim Press last week revealed to the National Press Club that Toyota was developing a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Yesterday the Japanese giant said it had received the approval of the Japanese government to test a plug-in hybrid Prius on Japanese roads.

The fleet of eight vehicles will enable Toyota to collect data concerning emissions and fuel consumption under real conditions. Later, Toyota plans to conduct the same tests across Europe and the U.S.

This is a big move for the Japanese carmaker, which was reluctant to develop a plug-in hybrid car due its high cost. A plug-in hybrid requires bigger and more expensive batteries than the batteries found in the Prius. But pressure from environmentalists and consumers as well as the upcoming competition from GM and Ford seems to have convinced Toyota to reconsider. Indeed, GM plans to sell the plug-in Volt in 2010. The American carmaker will display a concept car at the next Frankfurt Motor Show. Likewise, Ford is currently working on a similar project and has already shown the California Escapes vehicles.

Here is another video of the Toyota/Lexus supercar, due to be launched at the next Tokyo motor show. It will be available with a choice of a V8 5.0-litre hybrid engine producing 400bhp or a V10 5.0 litre petrol producing 500 bhp. In the video, it seems to be the V10 engine that we can hear.

I do not know what the Toyota’s North American president, Jim Press, smokes but it must be high quality for it to lead him to declare that “everything will be a hybrid” in the future and to liken the Toyota Prius to the Model T.
  

Obviously, the Toyota Prius is a big step for the Automotive Industry, but European market does not embrace hybrid cars, by far favouring diesel cars. The latter offer better mileage than a hybrid car, so it is highly unlikely that hybrid cars will ever reign supreme here.

Concerning the Model T comparison, we are still waiting for a hybrid Toyota Yaris in order to prove that the hybrid concept can be extended to all models. Likewise, we are yet to see a hybrid K-car. Considering that K-cars make up almost 50% of the Japanese market, the creation of a hybrid version is essential for any dreams Press may harbour.

The prices for the Lexus flagship have been announced. It will cost £81,400 for the entry model, the LS 600h. For this price, the buyer has the privilege of driving what is probably the most advanced luxury saloon in the world. If you are looking for more legroom for the rear seats you will have to pay £83,645 to access the longwheel base version dubbed LS 600h L. If you have a chauffeur, do not hesitate spending the few thousands pounds more, £88,000, to treat yourself to the Rear Seat Relaxation Package.

With the relaxation package, the left hand rear seat gains an extending ottoman leg and thigh rest, seat cushion airbag and variable massage function. An independent DVD system, centre console with extending wood-inlaid tray are also part of the package, together with a more advanced climate control system that uses body temperature sensors to determine optimum performance.

The LS 600h is powered by a hybrid V8 engine. It combines the 5 litre V8 with one electric motor to produce 430 bhp. If it can match 12-cylinder units and runs from 0-60 mph in 6.3sec, it offers the same consumption as a big diesel engine, promising an average 30.4 mpg.

Toyota will launch a new competitor on the microcar market next September. The new model, which is set to compete with the popular Smart car, will be available from 2008.

This announcement comes as no surprise. Two years ago at the same Motor Show, the Japanese carmaker revealed the concept car Endo and its production was oft-talked about in the press.  Though Smart chose to design a very small car for only two people, Toyota decided to be less radical. The Endo was 3m long and provided enough room for 4 people. Insiders revealed that the production model would offer 3+1 seats like the Fiat concept car of Geneva 2004, the Trepiùno.

In order to reduce the production costs, Smart was obliged to share the engine with Mitsubishi. Toyota could go it alone and reuse the 1 litre with an output of 68 bhp already used in the Aygo and Yaris. No diesel engine appears to be planned even though the Aygo is sold with a 1.4 litre engine.

Toyota has adapted its hybrid technology to the Lexus RX400, which thus becomes the RX400h, a ‘clean’ SUV. Under the bonnet, two engines take place now, a 3.3-litre petrol V6 developing 211bhp and a 167bhp electric unit. But the Japanese engineers thought this was not enough, so, another electric unit (67bhp) is to be found at the rear of the R400h! Yet, the maximum available power amounts to 272bhp.

Below 30mph, the big SUV is propelled by its rear engine. As it is totally silent, it may catch pedestrians by surprise.
Beyond this speed, the V6 smoothly starts and, helped with the other electric engine, allows the RX400h to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 7.4secs! Better than Porsche Cayenne V6 then.
The association of the three motors works in total smoothness, thanks to the CVT transmission.
Even if the RX400h is quite heavy, with a kerbweight of 2 tons, its average fuel consumption reaches no less than to 30mpg. Its C02 emissions match the Euro IV norm. So, is it the ideal car for off-roading? Not quite, for the RX400h prefers straight highways to rocky paths on steep hillsides.

£35,485.00, this is the lowest price if you want to drive a huge SUV with a clear conscience, and this is cheaper than a BMW X5 3.0i. It includes power front seats, a Multi-CD and a cruise control. The £39,540 SE trim adds a sunroof and a leather upholstery while the £44,350 SE-L adds sattelite navigation combined with a hand-free phone. Do you think Ken Livingston will buy one?

Even looking common-place, a sedan may meet success: this is the case for the Toyota Avensis, sold 140,000 copies in 2004, which is a logical reward given its qualities.

The latter is more particularly interesting for it’s fitted with new ceramic glow plugs and piezoelectric injectors allowing the injection pressure to reach 1800 bars. As a consequence, it was possible for Toyota to reduce the compression ratio down to 15:8, which is the lowest in the world of diesel engines. Reliability should benefit from this.

Moreover, Toyota has developed a new filtration device called D-Cat, which, along with the engine improvements quoted above, helps drastically reduce pollution, without any specific maintenance. Toyota claims the Avensis 2.2 D-Cat has the lowest combined NOX and PM emission rates in the market.

Why does the D-Cat remain optional then? Besides, it’s not even available on the lower 2.2.

Apart from that, we notice the installation a new sound-proof windshield and a 6-speed gearbox.

The Japanese carmaker has paid great attention to reducing maintenance costs, with an oil exchange every 18,000 miles. Let’s remark that the D4D still accepts even mineral oil.

On the other hand, there still is a timing-belt, which needs replacement every 60,000 miles. Why not a chain, like on Fiat’s recently awarded 1.3 Multijet?

This excellent lacklustre sedan’s prices start from £18,145, and the combined fuel consumption amounts to 47.9 mpg on the 150bhp version and 46.3 on the 177 one.